Sir Jorgenbjorgen
by eliimg
Summary: Stories about Gerda and Elsa's family relationship. Thoughts and memories about Sir Jorgenbjorgen and the life in the castle. Series of oneshots.
1. The recently crowned Puffin

_A/N – Part of Frozen angst challenge - Day 3: Sir Jorgenbjorgen._

"Now, that's something I didn't expect to see again." Gerda said as she closed the door to Elsa's bedroom. She had knocked a few times and since nobody answered, she decided to let herself in. The queen was not yet inside, probably. When she entered she was surprised to find her sitting cross-legged on her bed, with her look lost on a stuffed animal in her hands. But she noticed it was not just any stuffed animal, it was her stuffed puffin. The old toy was dusty and quite battered.

"Gerda?" Elsa said looking up, surprised to realise the housekeeper was entering her room. It was not common for Gerda not to knock, 'Maybe she had' she thought to herself.

"Hello, your majesty. My apologies for startling you. I thought you were not in here yet, or that you had heard the knocks." she replied truthfully.

"It's fine, Gerda. I think I just lost myself in my thoughts for a second." Elsa looked Gerda leave a tray on the small table by the door, when she remembered the woman had said something when she entered "not expecting to see what, again?"

Gerda kept quiet for a second, she saw Elsa must have been completely lost in her thoughts not to realise she was casually playing with a toy in front of a servant. "Well, what I am seeing right now, your majesty." She tried to hide the amusement in her voice.

"I do not understand." Elsa seemed puzzled.

"May I be blunt, your majesty?" she decided it would be easier to talk to Elsa if she dropped the formalities.

"Of course, Gerda! How many times have I told you it's not necessary to be so formal? Especially, if it's just the two of us." She didn't like the formalities that her position required sometimes. With certain people it was necessary; but with those who had raised her, together with her parents, it was silly. "Now tell me, simply, what didn't you expect to see again?"

"You, my dear. Playing with your stuffed puffin, sitting on the bed… with a sad look in your beautiful eyes, if I might add." Gerda resolved there was no use in pretending everything was fine with Elsa, she could see the longing look in her eyes, and asked "Is everything all right?"

Elsa suddenly realised she was in front of her castle's housekeeper behaving like a child. She promptly hid the stuffed animal behind her bended leg and apologised "Oh, Right. It's not really regal for me to be seen with a toy, is it?" She sheepishly smiled and added "I should put it away."

"No, please, Elsa! That's not what I meant" she felt a sudden pang of guilt for making Elsa feel out of place in her own room. "Please don't think about my comment as something negative. I've got to admit it's endearing really" she felt the need to let her know the truth and added "I'm glad I caught you unaware, I was able to see you play with it again."

" _Endearing_? Don't you mean _pathetic_?" she asked. She felt ashamed for being caught playing with an old toy. Even though, she was not exactly playing with it, just remembering. "I should have left him in the garret."

"But you didn't…" Gerda knew where the old toy had been put away since the beginning; Elsa had asked her to take it to the garret with the rest of her childhood stuff. "…maybe you needed it back?"

"I shouldn't need him," Elsa admitted. "I'm the Queen after all".

"Queens and Kings have feelings too, my dear." She opted to treat Elsa like she always did when she was feeling blue as a child. With a tender voice and sweet nicknames. "It's normal to feel sad and need help."

"Yeah, probably you're right. But grown-ups don't usually need the help of a stuffed animal." She decided to grab Sir Jorgenbjorgen in her hands again, after all there was no point in pretending in front of Gerda. The woman knew exactly how she felt towards the little puffin.

Gerda sympathetically smiled and walked towards the bed. she made a nod with her head asking Elsa's permission to sit beside her, to which Elsa nodded. She sat to her left and smoothed her dress a little. "Most adults spent their childhoods surrounded by friends and family, dear. If they'd have been on their own, I bet we'd see every single person walking with a toy in their hands." The comment was meant to be reassuring for the young monarch but Gerda noticed how her face changed. "Oh, I'm sorry, your majesty. I was out of place, it was not my intention…"

Elsa unexpectedly interrupted her by putting her head on her right shoulder. "It's fine Gerda. You're family… You can say whatever you want." Gerda felt her heart get warmer at the young woman's statement. But she felt guilty for openly showing the difference with Elsa's and everyone else's upbringing.

"Still, it was out of place for me to say something like that." Since Elsa seemed to have fallen in her trance once again she chose to inquire a little more on her mood. "What brought the little guy back? If I may ask."

Elsa looked up, raising her head from the old woman's shoulder "Nothing, it was nothing. I shouldn't have…"

"Are you feeling lonely without your sister? Her trip has delayed hasn't it?" Gerda interrupted.

Elsa smiled; the woman always seemed to know what was wrong with her. Although it was true she had become easier to read after the thaw too. "She sent a letter. Kristoff and her won't be home for another week or so. I know it sounds silly but I got used to her presence. It's only been a month since her departure and, even when I knew it was a month-long journey, it still bothers me. I spent most part of my life alone, a couple of weeks shouldn't be a problem. But somehow…"

"Somehow… even after seeing dozens of people in meetings, at the end of the day you feel lonely." Gerda completed for her. "Is that why you felt you needed your old friend?"

"How can you read me so well?" she giggled.

"Well, for starters, I've known you since you took your first breath. But to be honest, I've been paying attention for a few days. You've withdrawn in the last few weeks, I was wondering if you were feeling ill; but today, you asked your food to be delivered to your room and I got worried. And then when I saw you with…" she stopped to think for a few seconds "…Sir Jorgen, was it? It all made sense."

"Sir Jorgenbjorgen." Elsa corrected, smiling at the sweet gesture of remembering the name _-or at least part of it-_ "You remember?"

"How could I not. I still remember bringing it to you, your mother sent me with it. You named it immediately. You looked so happy…" Gerda lost herself in her memories for a little while and then added "I also remember it going through a difficult surgery one night."

"I thought he was beyond repair. Thank you for being so patient with me that night." Elsa recalled Gerda giving her instructions through a frozen door in the night. "It mustn't be easy to teach how to sew behind closed doors." She said looking at the Gerda in the eyes.

"You were always a good student, dear. It was no problem…" Gerda seemed to remember something and suddenly asked Elsa "What happened that night, if I may ask? I got close to the door because you were sobbing. When I tried to open it, it was tightly closed. Then you asked for my help to teach you how to sew, but you never explained to me what happened to it."

Elsa was motionless with her head down for a few minutes, not taking her eyes from the old puffin. After a while Gerda was convinced Elsa was not going to answer when suddenly Elsa started talking about the past; something which was totally uncommon for her, even with her dear sister. "I… I was being stupid and rebellious with papa for no reason. He was, for some reason, convinced I was doing better. He was sure I was able to control my ice so much better than ever before. I was happy at first; but then, he started talking about everything he was planning on me to do. Accompanying him to meetings, be present at court, share family meals, etc. I got worried and anxious all of a sudden, I few hours before he showed up I had had a bad episode with my magic, something that made all of those scenarios impossible."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, dear. But if you had had a bad episode with your magic, why was the King so convinced you were getting better?" Gerda asked with interest. It was true that Kai and her knew about Elsa's ice magic from the beginning, but that didn't mean King Agdar shared every detail of Elsa's problems with them.

"There was nothing I wanted more than to make papa proud of me; and I always knew that the ice took all the attention from anything else I was able to achieve, making it little in comparison. For the longest time I tried to hide how badly the ice was controlling my life, but it only resulted in papa thinking I was doing fine. He thought I had gained the control he desired so much and so, he offered me the life I should have been living as a princess. It was not common for me to rebel against papa but I got mad at him. I told him he was making a terrible mistake. I tried to explain, without telling him I had lied about being in control, that he was making rush decisions. We argued for what seemed like hours…"

"You had an argument with your father? That seems hard to believe."

"I was tired. Papa was tired too. I could see it in his eyes, he was trying his best to convince me but I didn't listen. I kept arguing with him… My emotions got the best of me and the next thing I knew was that I had turned my room in a winter land. Papa looked at me with so much _disappointment_ , he had come to tell me how proud he was of me and I proved him wrong by freaking out." Elsa looked down to her hands again; she seemed remorseful. Gerda could see it was hard for her to remember her father's look. "He said I was right. I was ' _clearly not ready'._ He turned around and silently left the room."

Gerda considered what Elsa had told her for a little bit, "I can see now why you were so upset that night; you've always tried to avoid confrontations. But I can't pinpoint what it has to do with little Jorgenbjorgen" she finally said.

"The ice covered most of the things over my vanity, including Sir Jorgenbjorgen. I was so upset I desperately wanted to curl in bed with him and cry my eyes out." Every time Elsa mentioned something which made her seem weak or fragile, Gerda could see how she made herself look smaller. "Only half his body was covered with the ice, so I thought I could grab him before the ice melted… I pulled until I heard the wool tearing. I got worried and more ice spread around the room." She laughed humourlessly. "That's when I got angry with myself. I started punching the ice to free him and I cut my hands with the sharp ice spikes around him. After sometime, I was able to free Sir Jorgenbjorgen. My hands hurt and he was tore almost in half. I was so frustrated with myself I could only cry… I think that's when you heard me." She finished her story with a sad face, as if she could feel the same emotions again.

"I asked you what the problem was, you told me something had happened to your stuffed puffin and the rest is history."Gerda completed the story to spare the Queen some pain. She then realised something, "That's why you wouldn't open the door for me to fix him for you! It was frozen shut!" Elsa nodded in agreement while she turned the toy with her left hand. "May I see it?"

"Sure" replied the young monarch as she handed her the animal.

"You sewed him well."

"Stop patronising me" Elsa scoffed. "I barely fixed him. I gave him a cape just to hide his scars." She turned the toy in her housekeeper's hand to show her the little bluish cape.

"Something tells me you tore this glove when trying to retrieve the toy from the ice." She said pointing to the little cape which was made of a familiar material for Gerda.

Elsa nodded and added "I feel silly, crying so much over him that night."

"You had just had a fight with your father and then you thought you had destroyed your friend, dear. Those sound like justified reasons to cry." Gerda returned the stuffed animal to the Queen and patted her on the knee.

"Maybe…" Gerda could see Elsa battling with herself as if she was unsure to add something else. "…can I confess something to you? I know it sounds childish but, I missed this little guy. It was a really good listener. I don't talk to him anymore, but his presence is comforting."

"If you missed him so much, why did you ask me to put it away with the rest of your stuff?"

Elsa shrugged and simply answered "Mama and papa were gone. Everybody knocked at my door asking for orders to follow. The kingdom was expecting me to step up and start leading them. I couldn't rely on a toy for support, I was supposed to be strong." As if it was the most logical thing in the world. "I am still supposed to be strong…"

"And you are, darling. More than you give yourself credit for." Gerda replied standing up, after sharing a beautiful moment with her favourite girl. She loved Anna to the moon and back, but there was something especial about Elsa, something the Queen didn't let many people see. She was glad Elsa trusted her as a confident. "Now, why don't you change that face and eat your meal? Good meals always make you stronger."

Elsa laughed remembering how Gerda always lectured her and Anna that way when they complained about eating. "You always say that."

"Because it's true" replied the housekeeper as she was heading towards the door to leave the Queen enjoy her meal.

As Elsa was getting up from the bed to pick the tray she said "Thanks for never giving up on me. Besides Anna, I think you were the only one who thought I was capable of mastering my powers … Even more than mama and papa."

"Your parents loved you and knew you were capable of anything, my dear."

"Maybe… but you always showed it. Thank you." Elsa commented with a big smile on her face.

Gerda was closing the door when she finally heard "And thank you for Sir Jorgenbjorgen! I know you knitted it for me and not mama." Gerda reopened the door to look at Elsa's playful face "Don't look at me that way, I may have spent most of my time in here but I knew from the beginning it was you. Mama loved me, she told me so many times. But she would have never approved of a crown princess relying on toys to feel better." When she saw the woman was too stunned to answer she added "Besides, you are the only one who knows who much I love puffins."

"Luckily you are now the Queen and not a crown princess anymore. You can rely on Sir Jorgenbjorgen as much as you want" she replied. "Good night, dear."

The next day, after a day full of long meetings Elsa returned to her bedroom. She tried to find Sir Jorgenbjorgen, but she couldn't find him anywhere. After some time, she decided to search the castle looking for Gerda. It was possible the housekeeper had something to do with the sudden disappearance. She entered the throne room calling Gerda's name when something caught her attention. Sir Jorgenbjorgen was in her throne sitting… proudly? She got closer to inspect the toy when she saw a little crown attached to the left side of his head, covering the biggest scar in his head perfectly. Elsa could only laugh at Gerda's sweet gesture.

People in Arendelle had to get used to the idea of seeing a little crowned puffin in the throne's armrest whenever they attended open court, from that day onwards.

 _A/N - Reviews are welcomed. English is not my first language, feel free to correct and mark any mistakes. It helps me learn more about the language and its grammar._

 _For those who enjoy reading Anna, I'm sorry. I always liked the idea of Elsa and Gerda being close and wanted to try something different._ _I hope you have enjoyed the short story anyway._


	2. How Sir Jorgenbjorgen was born

_A/N - Since some of you liked the relationship between Elsa and Gerda I decided to continue this story as a series of oneshots._

* * *

It was a cold night in the kingdom of Arendelle. There were no people walking the streets that night, just a few lights could be seen in the small taverns and inns in town. The cold weather made people retire to their homes earlier than usual and just the wind could be heard in the realm. Except in Arendelle's castle where a tiny little girl kept making a fuss and resisting to go to bed.

"I don wanna!" yelled a red-haired little girl.

"Princess Anna, please, you need to go to sleep; and for you to go to bed it's necessary to change your clothes." Tried to reason Dorine, one of the chambers' maids of the castle. She had been trying to get Princess Anna to change her clothes and get ready to bed before the king and Queen came to bid her goodnight.

"No! I want mama! And papa!" responded Anna, she was only 6 years old but she had a teenager's temper when things didn't go her way, especially if her mother and father were involved in the request. The child had become more attached to her parents after her older sister, Elsa, had decided to stop playing with her. The little girl didn't understand her sister's sudden change but that didn't stop her from trying every day to get her sister to play and have adventures with her.

Hearing the commotion from the hallway, Gerda decided to enter the princess' chambers. Gerda was the housekeeper and had been in charge of the maids for the past five years. She usually didn't attend to the girls personally, since her chores required her to be in many places at once; giving instructions and making sure everything was in order in the castle. She and Kai, the castle's butler, were the monarch's trusted friends. They were trusted with their family wellbeing while he and his wife Idunn saw to the kingdom's wellbeing.

After entering the room, Gerda could see why the big commotion. Princess Anna had been behaving a little odd that day and it was not surprise that her foul mood was going to get the best of her in the evening when she was tired. "Do not worry Dorine, I will call his majesty" offered Gerda to the poor maid. Dorine was an excellent help around the castle, if she couldn't complete her daily task of putting Princess Anna to bed it was obvious that no one but the child's parents would be able to do it.

"Thank you, Gerda. Princess Anna seems to be more tired than expected and she won't cooperate with me today" answered Dorine truthfully. "She's been missing her parents lately, they have been really busy."

"I think they are with Princess Elsa at the moment, I will fetch them for you" said Gerda while she exited the room.

At the end of the long hallway Gerda was able to see the figures of the King and Queen approaching Princess Elsa's chambers. She walked faster in order to let them know of the situation with Princess Anna before they entered Princess Elsa's room. Gerda knew how much the crown princess enjoyed her parents visits at night, being to busy during the day to spend time with her oldest daughter, the monarchs always took a longer time to bid Elsa good night. Gerda was not planning on interrupting Elsa's time with her parents if she could avoid it.

"May I have a word, your majesty?" she said respectfully to the King.

"Gerda, yes. We were just about to say goodnight to Elsa. What is the matter?" King Agdar answered with a calmed face.

"I'm sorry to interrupt then, your majesty. But it gives the impression that Princess Anna will not allow Dorine to help her get changed tonight; she seems to be requesting your presence and the Queen's in order to go to bed. It was not my intention to interrupt but we cannot make her cooperate this evening."

"Do not worry, Gerda. We are aware of Anna's foul mood this evening…" answered the Queen.

"Would you mind taking our place with Elsa this evening?" added the King after sharing a look with the Queen. They knew Anna was being a handful but they had been really busy with some important papers the whole day. "We need to attend an urgent matter with one of our advisors and we don't have much time in our hands at the moment. We will have a word with Anna, she is more of a handful than Elsa could ever be" finished the King to let Gerda understand their decision. They started walking in the direction of Anna's chamber.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in for a second first and-" Gerda began to ask when she was interrupted by a loud scream.

"Mama!"

It was princess Anna, she was now throwing a bigger tantrum.

"If something gets out of control, please do call us. Say goodnight to Elsa for us" said the King before hurrying with his wife to the younger princess' room. Gerda realised the King had the tendency to give the same order every time she or Kai were going to spend time with Elsa. The king was a good man who was trying his best to raise a girl with magical ice powers, but she considered he ought to have more trust in his older daughter and the control she possessed.

She watched the monarchs enter Princess Anna's chambers before heading for the door.

"Excuse me, Princess" she said politely. She knew Princess Elsa was not comfortable with people entering her room, especially without her parents.

"Gerda?" said the young girl from her vanity, she was combing her hair and was already in her nightdress. "I heard mama and papa talking outside... Are they coming?" she asked after a second.

"I'm sorry your highness, but they had to attend an urgent matter at the moment. They told me to wish you a good night of sleep in their name" she tried to explain the situation in the most formal way possible. Gerda had the tendency to address the princess as formally as possible. She loved the girls but she wanted to show her respect to the royal family as best as she could.

"Oh… that's okay" said Elsa looking at her hands for a second. "I heard Anna was calling for them earlier. They should spend more time with her."

Gerda was always amazed at the young girl's perception, even in her room no detail escaped the crown princess. "Princess Anna had a tiring day" she chose to add in order to let the princess know she was correct. Remembering her task at hand she suddenly asked "Do you need my assistance before going to bed, your highness?"

"No Gerda. It's fine, thank you" answered the girl truthfully. "You don't need to stay until I go to bed."

"But princess your parent-" she tried to explain to the princess her parents' request, but Elsa interrupted her.

"I know you are really busy, it's not necessary for you to help me" she said as she started walking towards her bed. Princess Elsa was just a child in Gerda's eyes but she always behaved as a young adult. She was the perfect depiction of a monarch. But for Gerda it was quite sad that the girl wouldn't allow herself to have some fun from time to time. She was not unaware of the reasons for the princess attitude's change in the last year but that didn't mean she was supposed to behave like an adult all of a sudden.

"It's not a problem princess. Want me to read you a story?" she added out of nowhere. It was not Gerda's favourite thing in the world to spend more time than necessary in a chore but she decided Princess Elsa would benefit with a little normalcy once in a while.

"A story? Why?" asked the girl showing surprise.

"Well, it's customary for children, even if they are from monarchy, to enjoy a good story before bed." Gerda said while she watched Elsa consider the offer for a few seconds.

"No thanks, Gerda. I'll just go to sleep" she finally decided. "Thank you and goodnight" The girl offered a shy smile and sat on the bed.

"Goodnight, Princess Elsa" Gerda exited the room.

* * *

Time had flown in the last few months, the summer festival was approaching and the monarchs were more and more busy every passing week. Even with the closed doors, King Agdar could not stop the festivities, the people would be too suspicious if he happened to cancel the second most important festivity of the realm. Everyone had a chore to complete in town, everything had to be ready for the end of the week, and that did not exclude the King and Queen.

"Gerda could you please see Elsa to bed this evening?" the King suddenly asked the housekeeper. "We know we have been placing this chore on you lately, and we do know that you are busy making sure everything runs smoothly here; but it's necessary for us if it is someone we can trust considering Elsa's... condition" Gerda noticed how the king always used a different term to refer to the princess' magic, but she understood his concerns in the case some other maid bid the girl goodnight and something went wrong.

"Of course, your majesty" she answered. "I do not consider it a chore. Princess Elsa is a well-behaved young girl. She is no problem at all" she felt the need to correct his majesty in that aspect.

"We know, but maybe you don't feel comfortable due to her... abilities. That's why I ask you every time." There it was again, another pause and another word to describe Elsa's magic. As if the only thing Gerda saw in Elsa was the magic. She respected King Agdar but she did not agree with his fears.

"I assure you it is no problem. I was not used to it, but after these few months I've got to admit I enjoy bidding the young princess goodnight. I'll see to her immediately" she felt the need to explain herself to her King.

"Tell her goodnight for me."

Gerda nodded and left the study in order to go to Elsa's room.

She knocked on the door as she did every night, she didn't want to startle the girl. "Princess Elsa?"

"They are not coming again, are they?" she said matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry Princess, an urgent matter came up and they had to-"

"See to it immediately, I know" Elsa interrupted the housekeeper, she was not in the mood for repeated explanations. "Thank you for coming to say goodnight, Gerda."

Gerda saw how Elsa was detaching more and more every passing year. The girl was 10 years old but she behaved like a lady. Sensing the isolation was causing the princess sadness Gerda kept insisting in the only thing she could offer the girl, "Would you like for me to read you a story, Princess?"

"No, thank you." She answered as she got in bed.

"Goodnight, Princess Elsa." Said Gerda closing the door.

It was the same every night. Gerda would feel pity for the little girl and would offer to read a story, not once in the five months Gerda have been regularly seeing the princess to bed had she answered agreeably. But she kept trying.

* * *

The king and Queen were finishing the reports and contracts they had for the day when Gerda entered the King's study with the tea they had requested. The kingdom was flourishing that year and the extra work was necessary. The people had got used to the idea of the closed doors after the third year and understood the dynamics on how to work and get their petitions through without the need of an open court. The paperwork had increased but the productivity had increased just the same. What was usually a job for a single King was now a shared activity with the Queen. Open court had the advantage of listening to the people's demands and ask all the questions necessary. But now, the people could only communicate with the king through letters. It was a good system but it took longer to understand the need of every request, the Queen found herself helping her husband more and more when she was not busy teaching Princess Anna etiquette. The little Princess was 9 years old but she still lacked some necessary manners.

Gerda was about to leave the room when she heard the Queen say, "Gerda, is it possible for you to see-"

"I was already on my way to Princess Elsa's room, Queen Idunn" she knew it was disrespectful of her to interrupt the Queen, but she was a bit tired of the constant requests. As if visiting Elsa was part of a daily chore people had to complete for the sake of it. She felt bad thinking this way, because she knew how much the King and Queen loved their girls. But lately, work had taken most of the royal's time and it was not rare for them to remember about Elsa when it was way too late for her to be awake still. "I know you have been busy lately. I thought you'd appreciate the help" she added in order to avoid any confrontation with her monarchs.

Queen Idunn raised her head from the letter she was writing. "Thank you. You are really helpful, Gerda".

"Is there anything you want me to tell Princess Elsa?"

The King heard the question and raised his head as well. "Oh, yes. Please, tell her we will continue her lectures in the afternoon tomorrow. And that I need her to spend more time reading the history of Arendelle as I asked her."

"Nothing else, sir?" she asked expecting something else from the King and Queen.

"No that'd be all" they said and continued with their work.

Gerda knock on Elsa's door and let herself in. The young Princess was used to her presence after three years. "Good evening, Princess Elsa. Your parents wish you a good night of sleep." They had not said those words as she had expected, but she thought it was necessary to include them. After telling the Princess the King's request for the following day she explained she would have lectures in the afternoon.

Gerda could see Elsa was having an inner debate about something.

"Is mama coming?" she finally asked.

"I'm sorry Princess. The Queen is overly busy helping your father with the paperwork."

"I see..." she muttered to herself.

Gerda hated seeing Elsa so blue about such matters but she knew the girl understood her parents' work. "Well Princess, anything else you need or should I bid you goodn-"

"Would you read me a story?" Elsa interrupted Gerda before her courage banished. She felt silly asking the woman something so childish but she was tired of being alone.

"Excuse me, your highness?" Gerda could not believe her request. After two years Gerda had given up. She thought the girl would never accept.

"A story?" she said timidly. "Like the ones you had offered to read for me in the past?... Of course, I could read the story myself if you don't want t-"

"I'll fetch a book immediately, Princess." Said the housekeeper eagerly.

* * *

As months passed by, the bedtime story became something constant for Gerda and Elsa. The girl was naturally curious and had a vivid imagination. She was really mature and intelligent so it was not a surprise that they end up reading the classics sooner than later. The King and Queen accepted Gerda's request to bid the girl goodnight every night. They thought she was being a thoughtful employee, but in reality, Gerda found herself waiting eagerly for bedtime to come in order to go spend some time with Elsa. Booth of them really enjoyed the time together. What started as a simple request from the Princess, which lasted no more than 15 minutes the first time, turned into a couple of hours reading session every day. When Gerda got tired Elsa would grab the book and start reading herself; they found themselves absorbed in the stories and once it was over they would spend a long time commenting on it.

"And then what happened?" asked eagerly Elsa.

"Well," said Gerda as she covered a yawn "we'll see that tomorrow… I am exhausted, Elsa." She responded from the chair beside the bed.

"What? Why?" the story was so interesting and they were so close to the climax, it was silly to wait until the following day "We are so close to the ending!"

Gerda just laughed at Elsa's eagerness. "We are at least three chapters away from the ending, princess Elsa. I think it is necessary for you and _me_ to go to sleep know" she made emphasis in 'me'.

"Okay… But tomorrow come a little earlier so we can finish it. Promise?" it was typical for Elsa to make her promise things like that.

"I promise, Elsa. But if your parents insist in-" she tried to explain, she was after all an employee and respected the monarchs wishes.

"Tell them I called for you. Goodnight!" she said rapidly, covering her face with the blanket to let Gerda know she was not going to accept and excuse for tardiness.

Gerda had to laugh at Elsa's behaviour as she walked towards the door to let the girl rest. "Goodnight, my dear."

* * *

It was a freezing December night. The realm was happy about the coming Yule festivities in a few days but the snowstorms outside during the whole month had made it difficult for them to decorate their houses accordingly to the occasion. As it was typical for a winter night most lights were off and just few orange candles could be seen. One of those candles was in the room of Arendelle's Crown Princess. It was quite late for the Princess to still be up but this night had been different than others, Princess Elsa had just turned 13 years of age and had had a special dinner with her family. Something that was completely unusual since she had been confined to her room in fear of hurting her little sister. But her parents and herself were feeling positive about her control in the last few days and decided to give it a chance. Anna had been overly excited about spending time with her sister, especially in her sister's birthday. But she was quite disappointed when she saw Elsa was just behaving formally and had no intentions to play with her after dinner.

Dinner had been perfect, more perfect than any member of the family and staff could have imagined. Elsa showed great control at the dinner table and was able to stay for a few minutes after dinner to receive her presents. Becoming a teenager meant she would start receiving more clothes and books as gifts; for the monarchs, toys were no longer an option to gift their oldest daughter. Elsa accepted the gifts and retired to her chambers after it. Gerda felt the need to follow the young Princess and bid her good night as usual.

After Gerda entered the room she saw Elsa looking attentively to her gifts. She looked happy but not really thrilled about them. The dresses were beautiful but Elsa had lost interest in fashion once she was confined to her chambers, 'What's the point if I'm the only one seeing me wear it' she had said to Gerda one evening when the old woman had asked the girl what she thought about clothes. And she couldn't blame the girl to be a little disappointed in the books she had been gifted; the words economics, mathematics and politics were among the tittles of the books, boring Gerda just by looking at them. She saw no reason in asking Elsa what she thought of her gifts, her face was depicting the truth, so she chose to call Elsa's attention.

"So, shall we start a new book, sweetheart?" she asked happily. A good story always put Elsa in a good mood. She smiled when she saw the girl's reaction.

"Yes!" she said thankfully, forgetting about her gifts as she climbed into the bed. "But let's read something more adventurous. I'm tired of fairy tales. They don't seem real to me" she concluded after she was properly sat in bed.

"Says the girl with ice powers…" commented Gerda with a playful smirk.

"Gerda!" Elsa said faking being offended by the remark. "You know what I mean! Ha-ha" she finally laughed, making Gerda's laugh a little too.

"Of course I know, sweetie" Gerda assured Elsa. "Let me go fetch a book from mine. I have the perfect story for us."

After a few minutes Gerda returned to Elsa's chambers with an old book in her hand. When she saw Elsa's expectant look she turned the book in her hands and showed it to her.

"Jorgen's journey?" read the princess a loud. The book was quite battered as if it was read many, many times before.

"It's a classic from Norway's folk tales. A beautiful story if you ask me."

"A folk tale?" Elsa was pleased with the idea, she loved reading stories about their land, specially if they had some truth to them.

"Mhm… shall we begin?" she said as she absentmindedly walked towards Elsa's bed and began sitting over the bedding by Elsa's side.

Elsa was astonished by the old woman's decision and had to ask just to make sure Gerda was not making a huge mistake. "Are you going to sit with me?"

"Well…" it was at that moment that Gerda realised she had forgotten her customary chair by the bed and was casually sitting beside Elsa. "…yes. You mind...?" Gerda was not against the idea, but she didn't want to disrespect the princess in any manner. The past year had brought the two of them closer than they have ever expected and it was easier than Gerda imagined for her to forget that the little girl was Arendelle's princess and not her niece or granddaughter. She loved her like one anyway.

Elsa pondered the question for a few seconds before answering "I thought you'd be scared of the ice and…" she was hesitantly saying, as if afraid of making Gerda aware of the danger she possessed.

"I've known you since you were born, Elsa" Gerda replied. "I'm not scared of your ice. I think it's beautiful. Let's not dwell on your powers right know, okay?" she said truthfully, she wanted to avoid Elsa any further fear in her powers. "Do you mind if I sit by your side? The book has beautiful drawings and I don't mind, honestly."

Elsa hesitated for a few seconds and asked just one more time "Are you sure you are okay with it? I'd like to see the pictures…" she said timidly.

Gerda knew deep down the girl was not really interested in the pictures. But she gave Elsa the easy way out, she knew the princess too well to see she was craving human contact. She nodded and sat by her side in a comfortable position and began reading the book.

The story was more interesting than Elsa had imagined, but sadly it was shorter than other books they have read in the past and so, both of them finished the book the same night. They were both tired but pleased to have read such a beautiful and adventurous story.

"I loved it! It is by far the best story we have read!" exclaimed Elsa happier than Gerda had seen her in a while. "The puffin helping Jorgen was the best part! I love puffins!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it since it is my favourite book" she said matter-of-factly.

"Really?" she asked. "I was going to tell you it is my favourite so far" she said shyly, she didn't want Gerda to think she was saying it just because.

"Is that so?" she said as she saw Elsa nod her head affirmatively. "Then I think that my gift was a good idea."

"Gift?" Elsa had no idea what Gerda was talking about.

"My gift for you" she closed the book and hand it over to Elsa. "Happy birthday, my dear."

Gerda never expected what came next, the shy little girl who always pulled away from people throw her arms around her and hugged her for dear life. When Elsa realised what she was doing she detached herself from Gerda and apologised profoundly. She didn't want to scare Gerda away from her life. The housekeeper understood Elsa's fear just by looking at her and stroke Elsa's hair to reassure the princess everything was all right.

After a few seconds the crown princess decided to ask "Are you sure you want to gift it to me? You said it's your favourite."

"It is, but I believe gifts should be especial for them to have a meaning. I want you to know that I really enjoy our bedtime stories, sweetie. And I thought that gifting you this book was the best way to show it to you. Do you like it?"

"I love it! Thank you, Gerda. It's the best gift!" Elsa said and Gerda knew the princess was not being polite, she had seen the girls face earlier in the evening when she was watching her gifts. She felt oddly proud for beating the King in a contest he didn't know existed.

* * *

A few days later, Yule festivities arrived and with them the celebrations. Yule was a time to spend with family and friends, it was the time of the year the maids and employees who lived in the castle were allowed to leave and visit their relatives under the promise of keeping the princess' abilities a secret. Most of the maids accepted the offer except for Gerda and Kai. They didn't want to leave the castle but they wanted the day for themselves.

Kai entered their chambers when he saw Gerda sitting by the window knitting, something she hadn't done since she suffered the miscarriage of their first son years and years ago. She had promised never to knit again if it depended on her and she had kept that promise until this day. To say Kai was astonished was understatement, she didn't want to interrupt his wife when she was finally doing an activity she used to love so much in the past but he had to ask.

"Not that I'm against it, but… Are you knitting, Gerda?" he asked curiously.

Gerda seemed ashamed to be caught knitting, as if she was failing her promise. But decided to tell her husband her reasons but to do so, she needed to explain her and Elsa's relationship. She took her time and explained in detailed her and Elsa's reading sessions. Kai knew about the fact that Gerda spent time with Elsa but he didn't know all the details. She told him everything, including Elsa's fearful eyes at the beginning, the books they have read, the hug they shared a few days before, everything.

Kai heard his wife attentively, nodding and asking questions from time to time. When he saw his wife was finished he asked what all of that had to do with Gerda knitting once again. Gerda looked down to the half-knitted gift in her lap.

"She was forced to grow up so fast, darling" she commented sadly. "She needs a little normalcy in her life and if I can give her that with a story before bed and simple gifts, then I'll do it" she said looking at her husband in the eyes.

Kai smiled to his wife, he knew she disapproved of the King and Queen's raising methods but he also knew she was not going to disrespect their monarchs and friends. It was only logical for her to gift the girl these presents as a secret, that's why knitting something was the best idea. "What are you knitting, by the way?" he finally asked.

"A puffin. She loves them."

* * *

The following evening, after the last day of Yule festivities had finished and the gifts had been shared by the family members, Gerda followed Elsa to her chambers. She had seen the girl to be more uncomfortable than in her birthday. Elsa had excused herself sooner than the King and Queen expected her to, just after the last gift was given, but they understood her reasons. Anna was the only one disappointed by her sister's behaviour.

Gerda knocked on the door and entered, calling the princess' name in the process. She found her already in bed with a tired look on her face.

"Dear, are you all right?" she asked with concern.

"Yes, Gerda. Don't worry. I'm just tired, it was harder to keep the ice at bay today." She answered honestly. Elsa wanted to spend more time with her family but it was becoming harder by the minute, she was also worried about Gerda and so she decided to let her know her worries. "I'm not sure I'll be able to control the ice tonight, Gerda. Do you mind if we don't read tonight?"

"Of course not, dear. You should rest, we can read any day." Gerda thought it was best to leave the girl to rest when she remembered she had the gift in her hand, when she turned to give the gift to Elsa she saw the princess had a sad face and was thinking about something by the way she frowned. "Are you sure everything is fine? You look sad" She asked not really expecting an answer.

"Do you think mama and papa will only gift me study books from now on?" Elsa didn't want to discuss this with Gerda, she didn't want to sound ungrateful about her gifts but she was quite disillusioned with her life revolving around unwanted ice and study books only.

Gerda knew the girl was once again disappointed in her gifts but she never expected the thirteen-year-old to voice her discontent out loud. She thought for a minute before she had an idea.

"I don't know what you mean by that, your highness…" Gerda used the honorific to call Elsa's attention, it had been years since she had last used it. Her idea worked out because Elsa raised her head and looked at her with a curious face. "I was not only coming here to read a story with you, but also to give you this." She handed Elsa her simply wrapped gift.

Elsa grabbed the gift in her hands and start opening it when Gerda said "You left sooner than the Queen and King expected, Queen Idunn didn't have enough time to give you that gift."

Elsa's face when she opened the gift was priceless for Gerda, her eyes shined with enthusiasm and happiness when she saw the cute little puffin inside. "A stuffed puffin? This is the best gift ever!" she exclaimed.

Gerda laughed at the girl's antics and said "It's a nice toy, isn't it? The Queen was eager to give it to you but she couldn't leave Anna alone to bring it to you. She asked me to do her the favour"

"Is it really a gift from mama and papa?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course, darling. Who else would have enough money to buy it?" Gerda hoped for Elsa not to discover her little white lie and decided to distract the young princess. "So, does he have a name?"

"Sir Jorgenbjorgen!" she said with pride. "Like Jorgen from the book! The puffin didn't have a name in the story, but I want him to be named like the main character."

"Oh, you are right. There is a puffin in the story somewhere, isn't it?" Gerda played along.

"Yes, don't you remember? I told you it was my favourite part" Elsa couldn't believe Gerda had forgotten.

"Oh, I remember you saying you loved the book. I didn't remember that. You are a lucky girl then, Elsa" Gerda said smiling. "I will make sure to tell your mother you liked your gift. Now, I think you should sleep" she advised the girl as she reached the door.

"Yes. And please tell mama it's the perfect gift."

Gerda looked at Elsa for a few seconds as she arranged the stuffed puffin under the covers. The princess was without doubt sleeping with him that night. "I will Elsa. Goodnight" she said and closed the door.

After a few minutes, when Elsa was sure Gerda was far away from her chambers to listen to her, she looked at Sir Jorgenbjorgen and said out loud "It really is the perfect gift, Gerda. Thank you so much." She hugged the stuffed puffin and fell asleep with a smile.

* * *

 _A/N - It was not my intention to make the King and Queen look bad, please don't take it like that, it was necessary to have a main reason for Gerda to get closer to Elsa. I believe they loved their daughters and they were trying to do their best. Besides, taking care of the kingdom behind closed doors must not be easy._

 _As I already said, English is not my first language so any corrections are welcomed since it helps me learning more about the language and its grammar._

 _If you liked it and want to read more leave a review to know if I'm going in the right direction. If you didn't like it please let me know what you would like for me to improve.  
_


	3. Another frozen point of view

_A/N – Chapter 3 of Gerda and Elsa's series of oneshots._

* * *

A beautiful summer night in the kingdom of Arendelle… Or that was what it was supposed to be. A sudden cold winter night had appeared out of thin air and the people of Arendelle were concerned. Their recently crowned princess, now Queen, was a sorceress who had abandon the kingdom. And what was worse, she had left a terrible blizzard behind. The people were scared of their destiny. With no Queen to rule the kingdom and with a young missing princess who had left in hopes of finding her older sister, hopelessness was taking over the usually optimistic realm.

Questions were soon to arrive at the castle's gates, not only from the dignitaries invited to the coronation, but from the commoners who had witnessed the ice magic in first person. People wanted answers and there was no member of the royal family left to answer them. So, the maids had to face their livid questionnaire. The servants who worked in the castle, the few that had kept their job after the gates were closed, were not aware of the magic powers their Queen possessed until that night; just like anyone else. They admitted that some behaviour from the Queen. It made answering the questions a really hard task. They admitted that some odd behaviour from the Queen made more sense now, but they honestly had had no idea. The only ones who did know, didn't there say a word about it in fear of being questioned or reprimanded by high authorities from the other Kingdoms. They only served their Queen, but they were just commoners in the eyes of royal dignitaries. To admit they knew about sorcery and kept the secret was going to be a big problem them. Kai and Gerda decided to do what they knew best, to keep quiet and hope for the best. Not that it was Gerda's favourite thing to do, but her position didn't allow her to do much more.

So now, after the royal ambassadors had been shown their respective chambers, they found themselves wandering the castle's halls late at night. Sooner than later, they entered the royal aisle. They walked to Anna's bedroom door and stopped there for a while, both kept quiet and hoped for the girl to succeed in her quest to find Queen Elsa safe and sound. They kept walking until they reached Elsa's bedroom door. Gerda was the first to stop and she put her hand over the thick wooden door. She was feeling an apprehension similar to the one she felt the day she was informed of the late King and Queen's passing. Everything was going terribly wrong and she felt useless. She knew how much Elsa had dreaded her coronation ceremony, the poor girl had delayed the event as far as she could formulating silly justifications. 'The weather is not appropriate to sail this time of the year', 'The people will feel cold outside if it is not summer time' she had said, among many other things, until the day the council asked her to finally set a date. The event had been delayed and the other Kingdoms were starting to make questions. She had come of age in December and in late June there had been no fixed date for the event. If it hadn't been for the council, Gerda suspected the coronation would have been delayed even longer. Now she felt terrible for not trying to help Elsa find a way out of the ceremony. Her dear Elsa had begged her, almost in tears, to help her find a way out of it. 'You knew mama and papa, you heard them talk about rules and this kind of stuff! You and Kai both! Please, Gerda, please! Help me find a way out of this. I can't do it. Not without them' she had said to her one day not long ago. The only thing Gerda did that day was smile and try to reassure the girl that everything was going to be fine. Oh, how she despised herself for not trying to help the girl find a way out. She knew how Elsa was very much afraid of public appearances. She had been terrified of people and their judgemental opinions on magic and sorcery. Yes, she knew Elsa was terrified of the repercussions her magic being revealed could have; but she decided to diminish the problem thinking it was the best for Elsa… another big mistake.

Gerda felt a hand on her shoulder and the soothing voice of her husband telling her to breathe. It was in that moment she realised she had been crying since she stopped in front of Elsa's door.

"You need to breathe, my love. Getting upset will only make you feel worse" he said. "Elsa was afraid and she left in a desperate attempt to protect herself, but she'll be fine. You'll see." He tried to reassure his wife.

"I should have listened to her. She was desperate to find a way out of this. I should have tried to help her find a way… If only I-" she started to say when she was interrupted by Kai.

"You, my love, are a servant; just like me. A truth worthy one, but a servant nonetheless" he said. "There was nothing we could have done to get her out of her responsibilities as Queen. She was prepared for this… Or she should have been."

"No one is ever prepared to be exposed like she was, Kai." She remarked. "She tried so hard every day to prove she was ready. She practiced day after day. And it was all pointless." Gerda said sadly as she opened the door and entered the slightly colder room. Kai followed her, curious of what she was doing.

"We shouldn't be here without her Majesty, my love. It's not appropriate."

"You seem to have forgotten all the stories I've told you about Elsa. She seems cold and distant but she is still the sweetest little girl. I know she wouldn't mind." She said with a longing look in her face. "Besides, I came to pick this up." She added as she neared the bed. She picked a little stuffed puffin with her left hand and turned around to face her husband.

"Isn't that the toy you made for her years ago?"

"It is" she said. "When her parents died, she asked me to hide it away with the rest of her childhood stuff. She still believes her mother made it for her." Gerda fixed Sir Jorgenbjorgen's orange hairs.

"Why would she think so?"

"Because I told her so. But it's not important right now."

"Why was it on her bed if she asked you to put it away?" he curiously asked. He found no sense in his wife's actions and her concern over a useless stuffed animal.

"I put it there" she admitted. "When her parents died, Elsa tried her best to be the perfect Queen the kingdom needed. She, once again, sacrificed the last pieces of her broken childhood for the greater good." She explained as she watched Sir Jorgenbjorgen. "I wanted her to have this in her room when she returned from the ball. I wanted her to see it was okay to keep some things from her childhood and to cherish them too since she would have already achieved her goal. But now…"

"Now it's pointless. She didn't achieve her goal. She couldn't keep her secret and her future, _our future_ , is uncertain." Kai finished sadly.

"I just wanted her to be happy. I just wanted her and Anna to enjoy life as much as their status allowed them to and to simply be _happy_!" She was frustrated and her voice broke towards the end of the sentence. Once again, she was crying as she clutched the stuffed animal in her hands. Her baby girl was facing her worst fears and she was all alone. And what was worse, her sweet little sister was all alone too.

Kai hugged Gerda tightly and led her out of the room towards their bedroom. The future seemed bleak but nothing was set in stone. They had to trust their girls and trust that the Kingdom was going to give Elsa a chance… if she ever returned.

* * *

A couple of days passed since the 'frozen summer' began and things were getting worse by the minute. The cold was only colder and the blizzards were only stronger. And what was worse for Kai and Gerda, there were no news of the girls. The only significant event related to Anna or Elsa was the return of Anna's horse from the mountains, which only made people think the worst had occurred. Prince Hans had decided to recruit some guards and head towards the north mountain to find the princess. It was difficult, but Kai and Gerda didn't lose their hope. If they snow kept on falling, Elsa was alive… And Anna, she was just to stubborn to die alone in the mountain. They were positive the girls were going to return.

Another day was coming to an end when prince Hans returned from the mountains. Gerda went to the gates to wait for the prince with the other maids. For sure Princess Anna was cold and needed assistance to recover. But what Gerda saw broke her heart, it was not Anna returning with the Southern Isles' prince but Elsa. Chained and unconscious. She was brought back to the castle like a savage animal and there was nothing a servant like her could do about it. She cursed under her breath the prince's methods and returned inside to inform Kai what she had witnessed. Once inside, she cried and begged her husband to try and find a way to allow them see Elsa. A way to let her know she was very much loved and that they were going to help her anyway they could. Kai did try. Being the castle's butler gave him access to the reunions among the ambassadors, he was the main source of information for the royals; but they never allowed him to interfere. 'Only those born to lead are capable of decision making, butler. A servant is just a servant.' They'd say every time he had suggested something. He was denied access to see his Queen and he couldn't overstep Prince Hans' orders. The young Prince was given his position in power by Princess Anna after all, and he was never going to disobey his royals' wishes.

When he was going back to his wife to announce her of another failed attempt, he heard a commotion outside the castle's door where he saw his wife rushing to the main gate. Princess Anna had returned, and with her returned their hope of a good happy ending. But said hope was short lived when they saw the state the girl was in. She was freezing and the cold was working its way from the inside out. 'A frozen heart.' 'The Queen's magic', people said.

Gerda and Kai were devastated, their girls were home but one was chained in the dungeon awaiting an imminent trial while the other was with her fiancé freezing to death. And once again, they were only servants with no power, nor choice-making competence. To say it was frustrating was an understatement.

The following hours, after Anna's return, were a blur. Gerda and kai had chosen to go to their bedroom to wait for some news and talk privately on what to do to help the girls. Suddenly, they heard a blast from their bedroom. The looked through the window and saw that the west side of the castle, where the dungeons laid, had exploded. In the distance they were able to see a bluish figure running towards the fjord. They didn't need to confirm with one another who the person was, they knew. Elsa was once again escaping to never return and they knew she would succeed this time. The blizzard was strongest than ever and it was almost impossible for the human eye to see clearly what was going on. After a few minutes trying to see what was going on outside, when they thought they wouldn't be able to see the fjord anymore, the blizzard stopped. Snowflakes hung in the air and time seemed to stop. Everything stopped, and so did their hearts when they saw Prince Hans in the distance approaching their Queen with a raised sword. His intent was clear, he wanted to end the winter at all costs. Gerda couldn't take it anymore and turned her head in order to avoid seeing such an atrocious act. She heard her husband gasp and she crumbled to the floor. She started to sob. Her world was crumbling around her, she was going to lose both her girls on the same day and the kingdom was going to be left in the hands of a murderer. Her sweet dear Elsa was gone, and no one gave her the chance to prove herself worthy of their acceptance. Life had been so unfair for the young monarch. Kai bend to reached her and told her what he had witnessed. Anna, who somehow was able to exit the castle and walk through the snowstorm, had jumped in front of Elsa and saved her in the last minute. Elsa was alive but at the cost of her sister's life. Gerda continued to cry. Everything was just so messed up and they were only part of the audience. Elsa was not going to be able to face another day knowing her sister sacrificed her life for her. Gerda and Kai hugged each other tightly trying to find reassurance in each other's arms when they heard cheering outside the castle. Reluctantly, they looked outside once again, this time they saw the best picture they ever witnessed. Their girls were hugging for dear life in the middle of the fjord, and the murderer laid unconscious a few metres away from them. There was no ice in Anna's body and there was no blood in Elsa's. It was, for lack of better words on Gerda's mind, magical. A minute later they saw Elsa exclaim something they couldn't hear and she raised her hands up in the air, the young Queen was about to do something extraordinary. The ice and snow began to raise allowing the summer to return. And with it the people's happiness.

* * *

The days after the thaw everything was a blur for Gerda, kai, Anna and specially Elsa. The latter had to explain herself more times than she thought it was possible. She had to prove herself worthy, not only to the ambassadors but also to her people. She also had to reassure her sister she was not going to disappear behind a door every time she saw her. She was going to finish with her work and solve all the problems her winter had caused and then they would share sisterly time together. For almost two days the only thing Elsa did was walk from one point of the castle to the other arranging things. She barely had time to stop and sleep or eat. Kai helped her in everything he could. While Gerda was only able to share a few words with the Queen before work got in the middle. Gerda wanted to make sure Elsa was all right; but she also knew that the girl needed time to solve the Kingdom's problems. It was her first big problem as reigning monarch and she couldn't get distracted. So, she gave Elsa time to finish her imminent work before suffocating her with questions about her state of mind. She took the time to make sure Anna was doing all right and ask her about everything that had happened in the mountains. The story was long and completely unusual, but after living with an ice sorceress for over 21 years, she believed every word of it.

Once the ambassadors left the Kingdom and took Prince Hans with them, the time for Elsa to prove she had perfect control came. Her people were waiting for their monarch to show them they had nothing to fear and so Elsa created an open ice rink for everyone to enjoy. It was Anna's idea. Her sister had convinced her it was for the best, people were going to see that her powers were beautiful and she was going to prove she had the necessary control to rule them now. The event was a success even if Elsa was a nervous wreck at the beginning. Once the people left the castle under the promise of open gates forever, Anna and Elsa had the time they needed to sit and properly talk. They shared a meal, just the two of them. They told stories from their years apart and explained what they needed to. For hours they spent time together talking, laughing and crying before they decided it was best to go to bed. They bade goodbye and Elsa watched Anna enter her bedroom before heading towards her own. By this time, Elsa was physically and emotionally exhausted but there was still something else she wanted. She desperately wanted to talk to Gerda before going to bed. She had shared just a few words with her since the coronation and she needed to see her. She opened the door to her room with the intention of changing her clothes before heading towards Kai and Gerda's bedroom. Elsa knew it was late to bother them but she also knew that she was going to be busy the following day making it impossible for her to share a moment with Gerda. Great was Elsa's surprise when she saw Gerda waiting for her. She was sitting in the chair she had used many times in the past to read her stories.

Gerda stood up when she saw her Queen had entered the room and waited patiently for Elsa to speak before explaining what she was doing there. Gerda knew, thanks to Kai, that the young monarch was going to be busy once again the following day. But she desperately needed to check and see if Elsa was doing okay. Years ago, she had promised to take care of the little girl and she was not going to stop when Elsa was the most vulnerable.

Elsa watched Gerda stand up and suddenly understood what the old woman was doing there. For the first time since she was a little girl, she did what her heart told her. Elsa crossed the room in just a few strides and clung to the woman for dear life. She didn't stop to think and just hugged Gerda as tightly as she had hugged Anna on the fjord. Elsa couldn't stop herself and began to sob on Gerda's shoulder. She had needed the old woman so bad the time she was in her ice palace. She had needed her comforting voice telling her everything was going to be fine, but she was all alone at the time. Now, she just wanted to let the woman know how much she had needed her. The older woman was shocked by the Queen's reaction but decided it was best to hug her back and show her she was very much loved. When Elsa was able to breathe more or less normally again, she hugged Gerda a little tighter, if it was possible, and said:

"I was so afraid. Terrified." she paused to gather her thoughts for a second and finally decided to confess. "I still am."

Gerda detached herself from Elsa just enough to look at her in the eyes. "I was afraid for you and your sister too" she admitted. "You don't have to worry, my dear. Kai, your sister and I are here for you. And we'll always be." She looked at her with a serious expression before adding. "You don't have to live in fear, we'll always be right here."

Elsa heard Gerda's words and she immediately remembered her sister. Anna had said something really similar in her ice palace. This time, without anxiety consuming her, she decided it was best to believe in those words. This time she knew it was possible for her to live a life without endless fear. She just needed to believe in Anna and Gerda's words. And share her worries with them. She was crazy if she ever thought she was going to be able to survive more than a week with her fragile state of mind up in the north mountain. She was not going to give up this time. She had Anna, Gerda and the kingdom to live for.

* * *

 _A/N – This chapter was a little different from the first two. There isn't much interaction between Elsa and Gerda, but I wanted to show how Kai and Gerda lived the events in the movie._

 _As always, English is not my first language so any corrections are welcomed. They help me improve and learn more about the language._

 _If you enjoyed the story please leave a review. If you didn't, I'd really appreciate a review too, saying what you didn't like about it or what you'd like for me to improve._


	4. Talk over tea

_A/N – Chapter 4 of this series of oneshots._

* * *

It was a tranquil afternoon in the Kingdom of Arendelle, the Queen had been busy from early morning with some important documents the council expected her to sign. And so, she had taken the time to check every one of them in detail in her study.

Gerda entered the study with a tray in her hands. "Thank you, Olaf" she said to the snowman who had helped her with the door. Olaf was playing in the hallway outside the room when Gerda asked him to open the door for her. "Your Majesty, here I brought you a cup of tea and some homemade cookies." She said as she laid the tray in the left corner of the big desk.

"Thank you, Gerda. You didn't have to…" she said as she raised her head form the documents and watched Gerda return to the door in order to close it. Truth be told, Elsa had been working the whole day in the same four documents and with no time to stop, she had only had a sandwich for lunch and her energy was running low. For sure the tea and cookies were going to help.

Once Gerda finished with her task, she returned to the desk in order to arrange everything for Elsa. The old woman loved taking care of the Queen with tiny little gestures as such. From time to time, she liked to prepare patisseries especially for Elsa, even when the Queen had not asked for them. "I brought your favourite" commented Gerda with a big smile on her face.

Elsa couldn't help but smile too. She chuckled a little and commented, "You spoil me too much."

"Nonsense. You, my dear, are the Queen. Queens and Princesses were born to be spoiled." She said matter-of-factly.

"Still… It's not necessary." Elsa grabbed a cookie and munched on it, she was too hungry to stop herself. "But I'm not complaining, this is delicious. You're the best."

Gerda finished pouring some tea in her cup and then stretched her arm to pinch Elsa's cheek like she did when she was a kid. Elsa pretended to be annoyed and laughed at the show of affection. "Enjoy." Said Gerda as she laughed too. "And… I want you to stop working so hard, those papers will be there waiting for you even if you stop to have a proper lunch, you know." Gerda made a disapproving face and turned to leave the study when she noticed Princess Anna was standing by the door with an amused smile on her lips. Gerda felt ashamed for her boldness of pinching the Queen's cheek, especially in front of her Highness. She excused herself and left the room in a hurry. Gerda adored the familiarity with which Elsa allowed her to treat her but that didn't mean it wasn't out of place, especially now that Elsa was the Queen.

Anna watched Gerda flee the room in a hurry and stood by the door for a few minutes trying to comprehend what she had just witnessed. Olaf had still been playing in the hallway when he had informed Anna, who was passing by, that Gerda was in the study with homemade cookies. The princess couldn't stop herself and entered the room when she heard her sister call Gerda 'The best' for some reason. She then saw, with surprise and amusement, how informally Gerda behaved in front of the Queen. She understood by the look on the old housekeeper's face that Gerda didn't feel comfortable with the situation, so she let her leave without saying anything. But it didn't mean she was not going to tease her sister about it. It was not everyday that she could find an embarrassing reason to tease Elsa. She had seen Gerda treat her older sister, the Queen, like a little child before; but she had never had the chance to bring the topic up.

Her sister seemed unaware of the whole situation and looked content eating the homemade cookies, not really paying attention to Anna.

"So…" she began as she approached the desk. "What was that?"

" _Wut wez wut_?" answered Elsa with her mouth full. It still amazed Anna how fast her _regal_ sister could drop the formality in front of her if they were in private.

"Munch and swallow, Your Majesty, before speaking." Laughed Anna as she handed her sister a napkin.

Elsa made an unamused face and grabbed the cloth. Once she was okay to speak, she repeated "I said 'What was what?'"

"Whatever it was what I just saw."

"I don't know what you saw, Anna. I can't keep track of everything you see." Elsa was really lost. She had no idea what Anna was talking about.

"I just entered your study and I saw you talking, oh, so casually with Gerda and then she _pinched_ your cheek! What was that?" Anna was entertained by the fact that her sister didn't see the oddity of the whole situation.

"Oh, that. It's just Gerda being Gerda. She brings me patisseries from time to time and she does that just to annoy me, I hated it when I was a kid. Now it's more the way she shows affection, really." She simply said as she offered her sister a cup of tea.

Anna accepted and brought a chair nearer to the desk, she sat and grabbed a cookie for herself as her sister poured some tea for her. "That doesn't answer anything. 'Gerda being Gerda' doesn't answer what I just saw. 'Gerda being Gerda' is a housekeeper telling me to climb down from the ridge before I break a leg, or telling Dorine to find me before I ruin another pair of shoes, or-"

"That's your definition of 'Gerda being Gerda', mine is different." Interrupted Elsa as she handed Anna her cup of tea. She grabbed another cookie and her own cup before adding, "She usually does that kind of things, like when she fixes a strand of hair which is out of place."

"In her head?"

"No, Anna. In _your_ head, or mine. Do you only pay attention to Gerda when she is nagging you?"

"Fixing a strand of hair in _my_ head? When did that happen? Maybe she helps me getting leaves out of my hair but that's just because it bothers her, apparently I don't look royal enough or something." Anna said trying to remember Gerda's reason for leaves being such a nuisance. "Besides, we can ask the whole castle the definition of 'Gerda being Gerda' and everyone would agree that is not it. She is nice and all, but she is too stiff to even dare do something nice and sweet like that." Anna stopped for a few seconds before saying, "Wait a minute, does she do that for you?"

"Sometimes. She knows I don't feel comfortable when people touch my hair; but if my hair is in disarray, she does it anyway." Elsa shrugged as she explained.

"You don't like people touching your hair?" Anna distracted herself before realising the second part, "Wait… She does?"

"No. And yes, she does it anyway. She seems to believe that ever since I came down from the North mountain my hair is in an _eternal disarray._ So, lately she's been doing that a lot." Elsa answered. "And I don't agree with your definition of 'Gerda being Gerda'."

"Being a hundred percent honest I can see the _eternal disarray_ too" she said, laughing at her sister when she tried to rearrange her braid in a hurry. "Now, seriously, how can you not agree with my definition? You were the first to think Gerda was too stiff! I think I learnt that word from you using it to describe Gerda!" Anna countered.

"That was when we were kids, Anna. We were trouble makers, of course I wouldn't agree with Gerda nagging me." She agreed before explaining, "But I was 7 or 8 years old. I don't see Gerda like that anymore and you shouldn't see her like that anymore. She is a sweet caring old woman." Elsa defended Gerda.

"I know Gerda is a caring person, Elsa. I love her and I know she nags me because deep down she loves me more than she wants to admit. I'm a lovable person after all." Anna made a face showing her sweet side, wanting to prove her point. Making Elsa laugh a little. "It's just odd to see her acting like that. And it's a little strange that you behave like that too." She admitted.

"Acting like what? She is just acting the way she is!" Elsa was getting a little angry now. She knew her sister didn't mean anything bad and was probably just messing with her, but the conversation was going down a road she didn't clearly understand.

"Don't get upset." Anna raised her hands showing she meant no harm, it was still difficult to talk to her sister sometimes. Years of isolation had made Elsa a person of little words and patience when discussing sensitive topics. "It's just that the way she acts around you… and the way you behave around her remembers me of… well…" Anna made a pause, not really knowing if she should bring the topic into light. At first, Anna meant to just tease her sister but as their conversation developed, Anna began thinking a little bit more about every time she had seen Queen and Housekeeper acting like close family. It was not wrong in Anna's opinion; it was sweet but strange. And Anna was not sure her sister saw the oddity in it.

"Of what?" Elsa didn't like the hesitation in her sister's voice.

"It remembers me of the way mama and I used to behave around each other." She confessed. Anna remembered behaving like that with their mother when she was a teenager. When she had been too old for children's plays, she and her mother had started a sweet relationship where Idunna would joke with Anna and spoil her, just the way Gerda had the tendency to spoil Elsa. And in Anna's eyes it was weird. She loved the old housekeeper but the woman was not Idunna, she wouldn't be able to let the woman play the role of their mother like her sister did.

"Oh…" It was all Elsa was able to articulate. She knew her relationship with Gerda was a close one and she knew she loved the old woman like family, but she never thought it was a bond so strong. It was not her intention to replace her mother with Gerda. However, the more she thought about it, the more Elsa realised that she wouldn't have been able to realise on her own that she was replacing Idunna; after all, she hadn't experienced a relationship like that with her real mother. At least not after the accident. Years after the accident, when the isolation had become too hard to bear, Elsa had relayed on Gerda for company but she had never realised she had adopted the old woman as a mother. She felt stupid and guilty for giving the old woman an extra responsibility just because she was the only one who actually remembered to enter her room to tell her goodnight.

Anna saw her sister was unresponsive, after her short simple answer Elsa had remained silent lost in her own thoughts. Anna was starting to think it was a bad idea to have mentioned that comparison. It was not her intention to upset Elsa. If her sister found comfort in her relationship with the old woman, who was she to tell her it was _odd_. Maybe _she_ wouldn't try to replace Idunna, but her sister had the right to cope with her loss in a different way if she wanted. She just thought it was strange that her sister had developed such a close relationship in such a short time. Granted, Gerda had spent more time with Elsa after their parents' death, but still it was odd. "Elsa, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mention it for you to feel bad about it. I just thought it was unusual you had formed such a strong bond with Gerda in just four years." She didn't know what else to say. What was being a good afternoon with her sister got ruined by her stupid big mouth.

Elsa seemed to return to her senses after that, "Four years?"

"Yes, I know we all cope differently with pain and I know you found in Gerda someone to relay on after mama and papa's death. I… it's just… Gerda was always the housekeeper and I never thought you could replace mama so easily- No, wait! That sounded awful. God, I'm rambling…" Anna was getting nervous, she was just trying to explain herself and make sure Elsa didn't take it the wrong way but her attempts were making things worse. She sighed exasperatedly and laid back on her chair, she wanted to take everything she had said back.

"Anna." Said Elsa before her sister continued with her incessant rambling. Elsa noticed in her sister's expression she was not trying to make her feel bad about the situation, she was genuinely confused about her close relationship with Gerda. Truth be told, Elsa hadn't really told Anna about how close her relationship with Gerda was in order to avoid talking about some parts of her childhood. She knew Anna idolised their parents and she didn't want to change her perspective of them based on the things that had happened years ago. Not even Elsa blamed her parents for the decisions they had made in the past, she didn't want her sister to blame them for her. But she understood that Anna needed some truth, at least enough truth to understand better her relationship with Gerda. She didn't want her sister to think she had replaced their parents in just four years. There existed the possibility also that Elsa hadn't talked about it before because she didn't want to admit to herself that she had found in Gerda a mother and a father; someone who supported her and didn't expect her to change. She had found in Gerda a person who loved her for who she was, ice powers included.

Elsa saw she had lost herself in her own thoughts once again, and Anna was waiting for her to say something. "I… I didn't replace … I-" she didn't know how to explain the situation; how did she tell her little sister she had to find another parental figure because their father was too busy to visit and their mother was too afraid to spend time with her? How did she explain Anna she loved their parents but maybe she hadn't experienced their love in the same way she had? "I didn't know I had replaced mama and papa. I think I've just noticed." She settled with telling the truth, she was a terrible liar and there was no point in diminishing what Gerda had done for her, how much Gerda meant to her.

"No, look, I'm sorry. I said it all wrong." Anna tried to protect Elsa from the thing she had started. "I know you didn't replace mama and papa, I know you wouldn't do that. I-"

"I did, Anna." Interrupted Elsa. "Long before they were gone."

"See, I knew you wouldn't and-" she stopped herself in the middle of her apology. "Wait, what?"

"You've just made me realise I did exactly _that_. I found in Gerda someone who loved me for who I was, in a time when I was forbidden to play with the only other person in the world who loved me for who I was." Elsa was absolutely sure now that Anna deserved to know more about her years in isolation; that and talking was making her feel good. Almost relieved.

"What do you mean you replaced them before they were gone? What do you mean 'Loved you for who you were'?" Anna was know completely confused. What she thought was a stupid rambling out of place, turned out to be the starting point for Elsa to open up about something. "Elsa, I thought what I was saying was completely mistaken and out of place. What do you mean?" Anna was no longer concerned about Elsa being angry at her, now she was concerned for her sister's past and her relationship with their deceased parents.

"I… I'll explain everything to you but you have to promise me you won't change the way you remember mama and papa. They loved me. I know they did. Just not the way I expected them to, and I found in Gerda a person I could trust, a person I could rely on. But I insist, I don't want you to change the way you see mama and papa. Promise me." Elsa was dead serious. She wanted to make sure Anna understood the story without taking sides. She just wanted to tell her little sister about her past without judging Agdar and Idunn.

Anna stayed silent for a second. She had to promise something without knowing all the facts but she trusted her sister. She was going to trust her sister's judgement. "I promise, Elsa. I'll listen and I won't bear a grudge against them even if I don't like what you tell me."

"Good."

* * *

The rest of the afternoon Elsa spent her time telling Anna about her childhood, about her years of isolation. She didn't give much details about the hardships that she endured on her own, but she made sure to explain why she relayed on Gerda so much. She told Anna about the first night Gerda showed up replacing their parents in their habitual 'Goodnight,' and how she became a regular figure in her life. How Gerda had never given up on her, always offering some comfort for that young lonely princess. She told Anna how and when their reading sessions started and how they had become the best part of the day for her. She commented about her birthdays and how Gerda had given her the best presents she had ever received. At some point, Elsa asked Anna to wait for her in the study while she went to her room to pick up an old book and Sir Jorgenbjorgen. Elsa eagerly told Anna about those items and how they meant the world to her. She made sure to explain her relationship with Gerda in detail but she tried her best not to make Anna think she blamed their parents. Things had been different for her while growing up, and that resulted in her close relationship with the old housekeeper.

After the story was over Anna laid back on the chair once again. She had never imagined Gerda had done so much for her sister. She had never imagined Elsa had felt so lonely. As a child, she had always pictured Elsa as an independent person who hadn't desired company. After the thaw, when Elsa started to reveal more about her past, that picture of her sister began to fade and was slowly being replaced by a lonely scared child. Elsa had been as lonely as she had, if not lonelier. And that hurt Anna deeply.

Anna stood up from the chair and grabbed Sir Jorgenbjorgen in her hands, she now understood the longing look in Elsa's eyes when they had found the little guy in the garret. She saw the battered puffin and she knew there was a story behind those scars but she thought the story could wait for another time. "I'm sorry, Elsa. I didn't know." She honestly said.

"It's okay, Anna. You couldn't have known. No one knew actually." Elsa looked out the window to the setting sun and added, "I don't even know if Gerda knows how important she was, and still is, to me."

Anna handed Sir Jorgenbjorgen back to her sister and said, "The old woman knitted a crown to a battered ten-year-old puffin… I think she knows. And I think she feels the same way about you." She watched her sister turn a deeper shade of red and chuckled. She knew her sister loved her toy but was really ashamed to admitted it. After some time in silence, watching her sister comb the puffin's hair, Anna decided to say something else. "I'm sorry you didn't get to spend time with mama the same way I did, but I'm really happy you found Gerda along the way. The old woman really loves you, Elsa."

Elsa watched her sister tenderly and answered, "she loves you too, you know. You just have to stop climbing up the ridge to notice. She may seem a little detached at first, but she is the most caring person I know… After you, of course."

"And after Dorine, that woman is an angel." Said Anna. After a few seconds she decided to light the mood and added, "my Dorine could beat your Gerda any day."

Elsa smiled mischievously, raised her eyebrow and said "Oh, really? You wish!"

"I'm serious. She really is the _best_." Anna crossed her arms and sat once again on the chair.

"Anna, _my_ Gerda is the Housekeeper which means she gives orders to _your_ Dorine. Mine wins."

"That's not fair!" the younger sister complained. Anna knew the competition was ridiculous but she was happy she had distracted her sister from the melancholic mood from earlier. She was truly happy Elsa had found Gerda along the way. She was a little disappointed in some decisions their parents had made in the past; but if her older sister had never blamed them, who was she to start. She made a mental note to never interrupt Gerda when she was being all motherly around Elsa, nor tease her sister about it. Elsa had the right to enjoy those moments as much as she had enjoyed them with Idunna.

* * *

Late that night, when everyone had gone to sleep, Anna decided to pay a little visit to an old woman who always took a little longer than necessary arranging things around the castle before heading to bed. It was not a surprise for Anna to find the housekeeper tiding the mess Elsa and she had left in the study earlier that evening. The woman had her back turned and she hadn't heard Anna enter the room. The Princess took the opportunity and rushed towards Gerda and gave her a tight hug from behind, making the woman shriek and jump a little in the process.

"Good Lord, Princess! You are going to kill me!" she said a little annoyed.

Anna hugged her tighter.

"What's gotten into you?" Gerda was now more surprised about the girl's behaviour than scared or annoyed.

"I just wanted to thank you for everything you do. For everything you've done." Anna detached herself from Gerda, allowing the old woman to turn to face her.

"What have I done? And whatever I do is just part of my job, Princess. There is no need for you to thank me." Gerda said matter-of-factly. "Besides, almost killing an old woman is hardly considered a 'Thank you'."

Both stood there for a few seconds, Anna thinking of a proper way to explain what she meant and the housekeeper waiting for an answer.

"You have been by Elsa's side ever since she was a child. You were there for her when no one was." She opted to say. "You've never treated her differently, and you gave her the love she needed to stop herself from thinking she was a monster. You've done much more than 'just your job', Gerda. Thank you." Anna hugged the woman once again fondly.

The old woman smiled and returned the hug, closing her eyes in the process. "You don't need to thank me, Princess. I would do everything in my power to make sure Elsa and you are happy." She confessed.

"Huh? Me too?"

"Of course!" said Gerda detaching herself from Anna. "I love you and your sister very much. It's just easier for me to show that love to Elsa, since she is not running on the roof all day."

"I don't run in the roo-" Anna stopped her lame excuse when she saw the woman's unamused face. "Okay, maybe I do. Sometimes." She laughed and Gerda joined her.

Anna stayed in the study helping Gerda order the things on the desk until they finished. When they were parting ways to go to their respective chambers, Anna said. "Since you said you just want to make sure Elsa and I are happy…"

"What?" said the old woman not really liking Anna's tone.

"Let's agree on something, you stop nagging me so much and I'll be ten times happier." Anna grinned.

"You should start by asking easier things from me, Princess. I'll never stop nagging you." Gerda said continuing her way down the hallway, dismissing the Princess petition.

From the other end of the hall Anna yelled, "Then, promise me you'll never stop caring about Elsa. That, and that you'll stop calling me Princess. Those things would make me and my sister really happy."

" _That_ I can promise, _dear_. Goodnight."

Anna grinned as she watched Gerda disappear down the hallway.

* * *

 _A/N – I felt I needed to include Anna a little more in this series. I really enjoy the sister's relationship in the movie, but I wanted to add a more of the teasing siblings usually do among each other; without losing their chemistry. Let me know what you think of it._

 _Any corrections are welcomed. They help me improve my grammar._

 _If you enjoyed this chapter or enjoy the series, please leave a review. If you don't, please tell me why and I'll try to improve._

 _Have a good day!_


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